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Friday, August 31, 2012

The 14th Call to Holiness Conference will take place on October 13, 2012 and features a list of great speakers.
Here is more info:

Celebrating Vatican II in the Modern Era
The 50th anniversary of Vatican II is the topic for the 14th Call to Holiness Conference to be held Saturday, October 13th from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Immaculate Conception School, 29500 Westbrook Ave. in Warren, Michigan near Detroit.
Speakers addressing various topics from Vatican II include: Bishop Alexander Sample, Dr. Monica Miller, Fr. John Trigilio, Fr. John Zuhlsdorf (aka, "Father Z"), Fr. Frank Phillips, Louie Verrecchio, Fr. Brian Harrison, and Peggy Stanton.
Conference attendees are invited to a specially scheduled 6:00 p.m. Divine Liturgy at St. Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Church. Following the liturgy there will be a separately priced dinner with Fr. John Zuhlsdorf speaking.
A youth conference for teens will also be held Saturday, October 13th with most of the speakers from the main conference addressing the youth.
Additional information and online registration is available at the website www.CalltoHoliness.comor call 313-451-4659 to request a brochure to be mailed to you.

For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Since I came to Assumption Grotto in 2005, I've watched Fr. Perrone work to transform the parish church to more closely match it's original state. When walls were cleaned last year, holes that held up speakers, bulletin holders, and other things were patched. Strict instructions came from the pastor, "No more holes!" There were two sanctuary lights - the one seen in the center above, hanging from the ceiling, and another that had been in disuse that was off to the right. I understand that is now gone.

Last Sunday, parishioners were met with a rather serious change: The table altar, or low altar, which had fallen into disuse several years ago, is now in a new home and the parish has a portable one that can be used if a visiting priest or bishop would like to celebrate, versus populum. Even Archbishop Vigneron used the high altar when he celebrated Mass on August 15, 2009 - his first Assumption Day as the archbishop of Detroit.

Fr. Perrone offered the explanation below in last week's bulletin.

A rather left-leaning priest once asked traditionally-minded religion students, ‘Which furnishing in the church is more important: the tabernacle, or the altar?’ Most answered: the tabernacle which, of course, was the wrong answer. This man, who has since left the priesthood, took delight in undoing the catechetical lessons and religious sensitivities the students had acquired. Even so, in this case, the impious priest was correct, though, cruelly, he did not explain to his students why. The tabernacle surely acquires an exalted dignity when it houses the Blessed Sacrament, but in itself, as a liturgical accouterment, the altar certainly holds a higher place since it is the place (Latin: locus) where the sacrifice takes place, where Christ is immolated. (Here’s an example of how someone–the priest–can be wrong, giving scandal and injuring the faith of his students, while himself being technically right.) This ‘correct’ liturgical understanding, by the way, is among the reasons often invoked for the setting aside of the tabernacle to a side position in many churches after Vatican II, an act that was not–one must hope–a deliberate and blasphemous snubbing of the Eucharistic Lord.

I write about the altar today because many of you, though not all, noticed a change in the sanctuary of the church last weekend. The low altar had been removed, allowing the high altar to shine in its full original splendor. Although I had intended to write to you about this in advance of its ouster, events moved too swiftly for me to do that. Our Parish Council members had been foretold of this intention sometime ago. No one then showed any dissatisfaction with the proposal. Indeed, everyone seemed intrigued to know how the church would have looked at its construction. I offer a brief ‘unscientific’ history of this subject.

The sanctuary now looks much as it did when the church was built in 1929, except for the two missing banks of ‘choir stalls’–those pews on each side, where altar boys sometimes now sit. (What could be done to restore the now absent stalls is a subject for another time). After the Second Vatican Council there was a popular movement in liturgical circles to have the Mass celebrated with the priest facing the people, even though this was never mandated by the Council nor by any subsequent directive of the Holy See. Grotto Church, like most others, began the practice with a temporary altar set up in the great open space before the high altar (which space had been created for the old solemn ceremonies of the Latin liturgy) so that a priest could celebrate Mass towards the people. While everyone could now see what was going on at the altar, the priest had his back symbolically to the Lord (the Eastward direction) or actually so (if the tabernacle were behind him). There were other logistical problems created by celebrating towards the people, such as in getting altar servers and concelebrating priests to look and perform decorously at Mass (which is one reason why so many Masses of recent decades have been celebrated so sloppily.) In 1978 Monsignor Sawher decided to replace the temporary low altar with a dignified and indeed beautiful marble altar that would in many ways be harmonious with the existing decor.

When I carefully studied the book The Spirit of the Liturgy by then-Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI), I realized that we ought to be facing East once again and not towards the people since that position inadvertently created a “closed circle” that did not aim towards heaven, towards God (East), but towards man (symbolically indicating that man and not God was the focal point of the Mass). In the early years of my pastorship here, the low altar was used variously: first, facing the people; then facing East; and then, with a move of the altar farther back some feet towards the main altar, with the priest still facing East. We were getting progressively more in line with an ideal.

to use the low altar while neglecting the church’s original. In addition, there was a problem having two altars. There ought to be only one altar prominent (main) in a church, not two. Moreover, for the celebration of the Tridentine Mass (now once again available to us), the low altar kept getting in our liturgi- cal way.

Fine, you may say, but what is to be done should a visiting priest want to celebrate Mass facing the people? We have already provided for that in having readily available an altar that can be set in place in a matter of minutes. It too is suitably made, containing an true altar stone and thus worthy of Holy Mass.

So, there you have it: The Story of the Low Altar in Grotto Church. My final word is a personal one. Although the former low was well designed and well crafted, it did obscure the complete view of the high altar and it did impede the liturgical movement in the sanctuary (I even now tend to avoid walking in the space where it once stood, imagining that I might run right into it). I believe that this elimination of the extra altar is a case where the saying holds true: Less is more.

Fr. Perrone

I don't know anyone who didn't want the low altar to be removed. Grotto-goers expect Mass to be celebrated ad orientem, and at the high altar.

In this photo from Holy Thursday (2009), you can see how the low altar obstructs the view, and the
workings of ministers and altar boys as they move about. There was no such thing as a straight line to the high altar as there is now, with only one altar.

For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

I regret the lack of posts of late, but there is an explanation. I feel I can now share this.

I do not advertise my vacations or other time away from home in advance because in the digital age, it's like hanging a "rob-me" sign in your front window.

I have been awaiting surgery for a baseball-sized cyst on my right adrenal gland for some time. Tests showed it was benign, and non-functional (more on that in a moment). The surgery - a "hand-assisted laparoscopic adrenalectomy" took place on August 16th.

I hope this explains why I was not seen at Assumption Grotto, but for a brief period in the morning on our big feast day, the day before. This is also why there are no photos for 2012, at least that I took.

I'm doing well on this 6th day after surgery. While I was there to primarily have the right adrenal gland and cyst removed by one surgeon, another first performed a diagnostic laparoscopy for pain on the left. In the area where I had pain, two adhesions, likely from past gallbladder removal, were found and addressed.

People have been asking many questions about this kind of cyst, and about adrenal glands in general, so I'll offer some general information. We have two adrenal glands - one on each kidney. They produce hormones and are most well known for the flight-or-fright hormones. When one adrenal gland is removed, the other simply takes over and keeps the levels normal. I didn't even need hormones after surgery, unlike those who have both glands removed and require life-long hormone therapy.

Also, my MRI showed that it was benign, and the MRI plus some special hormone tests proved it to be "non-functional." Some adrenal gland cysts or masses can produce an excess of certain hormones, thus
"functional", but mine was not of this type. It was simply a "water balloon" that was taking up space and causing some uncomfortable symptoms. Usually, benign, non-functional adrenal cysts are left alone unless they get too big, cause symptoms, or cannot be determined to be benign by radiology and other tests alone.

I'm glad to have this behind me. I am grateful to God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, my Guardian Angel, St. Raphael, and many other saints for their guidance and protection. I feel blessed to have had the doctors and nurses that I did, and some went above-and-beyond for me. For those who knew in advance, I thank you all for your prayers and well wishes. Those prayers certainly lifted me during a few difficult moments this past week. I'll gratefully accept continuing prayers as I heal, and I look forward to returning to work.

I will get back to blogging soon. In the meantime, I will include you in my prayer intentions.

For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Here is what is in today's Office of Readings, taken from the apostolic constitution Munificentissimus Deus by Pope Pius XII:

In their homilies and sermons on this feast the holy fathers and great doctors spoke of the assumption of the Mother of God as something already familiar and accepted by the faithful. They gave it greater clarity in their preaching and used more profound arguments in setting out its nature and meaning. Above all, they brought out more clearly the fact that what is commemorated in this feast is not simply the total absence of corruption from the dead body of the Blessed Virgin Mary but also her triumph over death and her glorification in heaven, after the pattern set by her only Son, Jesus Christ.

Thus Saint John Damascene, preeminent as the great preacher of this truth of tradition, speaks with powerful eloquence when he relates the bodily assumption of the loving Mother of God to her other gifts and privileges: “It was necessary that she who had preserved her virginity inviolate in childbirth should also have her body kept free from all corruption after death. It was necessary that she who had carried the Creator as a child on her breast should dwell in the tabernacles of God. It was necessary that the bride espoused by the Father should make her home in the bridal chambers of heaven. It was necessary that she, who had gazed on her crucified Son and been pierced in the heart by the sword of sorrow which she had escaped in giving him birth, should contemplate him seated with the Father. It was necessary that the Mother of God should share the possessions of her Son, and be venerated by every creature as the Mother and handmaid of God.”

Saint Germanus of Constantinople considered that it was in keeping not only with her divine motherhood but also with the unique sanctity of her virginal body that it was incorrupt and carried up to heaven: “In the words of Scripture, you appear in beauty. Your virginal body is entirely holy, entirely chaste, entirely the house of God, so that for this reason also it is henceforth a stranger to decay: a body changed, because a human body, to a preeminent life of incorruptibility, but still a living body, excelling in splendor, a body inviolate and sharing in the perfection of life.”

Another early author declares: “Therefore, as the most glorious Mother of Christ, our God and Savior, giver of life and immortality, she is enlivened by him to share an eternal incorruptibility of body with him who raised her from the tomb and took her up to himself in a way he alone can tell.”

All these reasonings and considerations of the holy Fathers rest on Scripture as their ultimate foundation. Scripture portrays the loving Mother of God, almost before our very eyes, as most intimately united with her divine Son and always sharing in his destiny.

Above all, it must be noted that from the second century the holy Fathers present the Virgin Mary as the new Eve, most closely associated with the new Adam, though subject to him in the struggle against the enemy from the nether world. This struggle, as the first promise of a redeemer implies, was to end in perfect victory over sin and death, always linked together in the writings of the Apostle of the Gentiles. Therefore, just as the glorious resurrection of Christ was an essential part of this victory and its final trophy, so the struggle shared by the Blessed Virgin and her Son was to end in glorification of her virginal body. As the same Apostle says: When this mortal body has clothed itself in immortality, then will be fulfilled the word of Scripture: Death is swallowed up in victory.

Hence, the august Mother of God, mysteriously united from all eternity with Jesus Christ in one and the same decree of predestination, immaculate in her conception, a virgin inviolate in her divine motherhood, the wholehearted companion of the divine Redeemer who won complete victory over sin and its consequences, gained at last the supreme crown of her privileges—to be preserved immune from the corruption of the tomb, and, like her Son, when death had been conquered, to be carried up body and soul to the exalted glory of heaven, there to sit in splendor at the right hand of her Son, the immortal King of the ages.

For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Catholic Lane is one of many Catholic portals I visit. I was pleasantly surprised to see an article about Assumption Grotto and our feast day coming up on August 15th by Grotto parishioner, Joe Maher, President of Opus Bono.

On Wednesday, August 15th Catholics from all over Northeastern United States and Canada will converge on one of the hidden jewels of Detroit; a 131 year old replica of the miraculous Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in France. In 1858, a peasant girl by the name of Bernadette of Soubirous claimed to see a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Lourdes, France. Shortly after, many healings were reported at the crude grotto where Bernadette’s vision took place. Since then a magnificent shrine has been built in Lourdes, France at the site of the apparitions and millions of pilgrims from all over the world have visited it seeking healings and conversion.
Like at the Lourdes Shrine in France, the faith and devotion of pilgrims to the Detroit replica of the Lourdes Shrine at Assumption Grotto Catholic Church are often rewarded by God with conversions and cures. People who are in their seventies and eighties today remember seeing as children all the crutches and braces piled up at the shrine at Assumption Grotto Church. Some of these are now housed in a reliquary in the shrine gift shop.

The Lourdes Shrine at Assumption Grotto is the oldest outdoor Marian shrine in Michigan and was formally dedicated on May 29, 1881. One year later, Pope Leo XIII signed a proclamation authorizing the Detroit shrine for devotions and granted partial and plenary indulgences for all who visited the shrine at Assumption Grotto Church and prayed for the propagation of the faith. This privilege remains.

Much of the beauty of the Detroit shrine is in its makeup of imported limestone. Huge boulders around the shrine and in the cemetery were carried in by farmers from all parts of Michigan. Some of the stones and much of the limestone are inscribed with names and dedications that today provide a treasure of local history. In front of the shrine is a fountain with statues depicting Saint Bernadette of Soubirous’ vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church is the second oldest church in Detroit and is more commonly known as Assumption Grotto Church because of the Lourdes Shrine. The church is designated as a Michigan State Historic Site and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Wednesday, August 15th is a Holy Day of Obligation for Catholics. It is the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and historic Assumption Grotto Church in Detroit at Seymour and Gratiot Avenue will be celebrating the feast from early morning into the evening.
One of the high points of the day is a spectacular candlelight procession along Gratiot and into the cemetery to the Lourdes Shrine after the 7 p.m. Mass... [continue reading "Grotto" at Catholic Lane]

See details and schedule for August 15 at Assumption Grotto via the parish homepage. You will not only find Mass, Confession, and devotion schedules, but shuttle information. There is also a dinner until early evening.

There is some mistake in the schedule about the evening Mass where it reads that it is a Solemn High Mass with Fr. Perrone, "and concelebrants." I can assure you, that last part in quotes is a copy/paste error carried over from when the evening Mass used to be celebrated with new Missal. Since Summorum Pontificum, the 7:00 PM Mass has always used the 1962 Missal, and has been a solemn high with small orchestra and choir. It is outdoors at the Grotto (weather permitting). In fact, usually the 9:30, Noon and 7:00 PM Mass are all outdoors if it is not raining.

NOTE ABOUT PHOTOS

I regret that I will be unable to attend and photograph events this year due to personal reasons. I will be there very briefly at one point during the day, but that is all I can give this year. Hopefully, I will be back photographing next year.

If anyone does take pictures, please know that Fr. Perrone has a strict rule about not using flash during any liturgical events. We should never draw attention to ourselves during the Mass. The center of action is at the altar and when we are out there flashing away, it distracts others. So, by all means feel free to try to get some pictures, but don't distract others from their prayer (and respect the pastor's wishes). I might be able to post pictures taken by others from the day, but it may take a week or more before I can get to them.

Regular Grotto-goers know not to wear shorts and tank tops to the parish. There are signs posted in the vestibule and on the side-wing tables that people should be dressed modestly (and Fr. Perrone does not consider shorts modest for worship). Consider the priests who are fully vested. No one can be hotter than they, so .... offer it up - LOL.

SILENCE

When down at the Grotto, people should consider the many who await this day to enter profound prayer with the Blessed Mother, and with Jesus in the Eucharist. During parts of the day, the Eucharist will be reserved in the tabernacle at the outdoor grotto. If you have ever been to Mass at Grotto, you will experience the most profound silence in the parish church whether you are there 45 minutes early or 5 minutes early for Mass. It's as if no one is there. People are not "stuck-up." They are using the time to speak to God, and hear Him, in His own language: Silence. Signs will be posted down by the Grotto urging silence, so please respect this. If someone wants to converse, politely ask them to follow you out of the area surrounding the Grotto where others will not be interrupted from their prayer.

For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Friday, August 10, 2012

You won't see me criticizing a bishop very often, even on prudential judgments. I try to give them the benefit of the doubt and accept the fact they have their own consciences to act on, not mine. They will answer to God for their prudential decisions, and I will answer to God for my response to any controversy and whether I maintained proper respect and virtue in discussing it.

In this post, you are going to see me over-use the word, "exploit," and it's many variations. I don't think it can be overstated.

As much as I like Cardinal Dolan, and appreciate a number of things he has done, I respectfully disagree with his inviting, or condoning the invitation to President Obama to speak at the Al Smith charity dinner in New York. It takes place the third Thursday in October. It happens just before the election. While Obama and Romney are suppose to be self-deprecating, you can fully expect exploitation by Obama supporters to win Catholic votes for him. The exploitation has already begun. Here is the headline from a blog entitled, "Catholics for Obama." Emphasis mine in italics.

Pope Benedict XVI did not give Nancy Pelosi any such opportunity when she stopped in to visit when in Rome. It happened in private. No cameras were allowed. Before she got out the door, the Holy See released a statement to make clear what happened (unbeknownst to her as she stood on the steps outside spinning the private audience).

It is the "ground troops" - ordinary, faithful Catholics that will have to exhaust tremendous time and energy trying to mitigate the damage once the exploitation begins to spread.

We will see an increase of this kind of language. Cardinal Dolan probably truly believes this is not honoring Obama, but what matters is how it is perceived by others. Obama's mere presence at a well publicized Catholic event speaks volumes: One side is wounded; another sees it as an opportunity. Good luck trying to mitigate the damage that will come when opportunitists begin to spin it in venues that all Catholic media together cannot reach, including Archbishop Dolan's own blog, which doesn't reach the average Catholic in the pew. Most Catholics aren't even in the pew these days, so it is even less likely they will be reading any Catholic media where it is being explained that the invitation is not some kind of honor.

Superpac ads will undoubtedly exploit still shots, video or just make use of distorted headlines and articles.
Only God knows how many people will be led to vote for Obama through the exploitation of his being at this event, and all that comes from it.

Salt has been poured into an open wound that faithful Catholics have been nursing for all too long. This particular one seems to come around every four years and something needs to change. I hope Cardinal Dolan will consider a new tradition in New York - stop inviting presidential candidates and politicians altogether, given the grave assaults on life, family, and religious liberty, as we have seen with the present administration. Are there no other persons - those who have strong Catholic values - who can bring in big money for the Al Smith Dinner? Do the ends justify the means, especially when there is great potential for the means to be exploited by others for evil?

As you will see in the reading list below, faithful Catholics are split. While some reacted quickly and strongly, one way or the other, there has been much greater silence over the issue. I count myself among those who just felt like a deer in headlights. Rather than lash out with my initial feelings on the matter in an emotional way, I wanted to ponder it for a few days, and digest what other reasonable people were saying. Some of those articles are below. I have not been swayed by those dismissing this as relatively harmless. The issue of exploitation is just too great. All it takes is one photograph that can be used to give the impression that all is well between the hierarchy and Obama.

While there is much criticism that is making headlines, I think the minimal support out of orthodox Catholic sources, coupled with a much greater silence on the matter, speaks volumes. This is just going to heat up as the event gets closer and in the days that follow, depending on how it gets exploited.

Here are some posts I have read in recent days - that are supportive and not supportive.

Al Kresta devoted some time to it in his national radio hour on Friday (audio here). He is encouraging people to write to Cardinal Dolan and explain how this will affect you and the work you do - respectfully. The Cardinal can be reached at He can be reached at (212) 371-1000 or archbishop.dolan@archny.org

UPDATE 8-12: Raymond Arroyo asked Supreme Knight of the K of C, Carl Anderson, for an opinion. Rather interesting reaction from Anderson. He was certainly proceeding very delicately.

For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

The first three novenas are offered for the intention of a pro-life president, senate and congress while the last three are offered in thanksgiving to God in anticipation of granting the favor.

During your rosaries, please pray for the conversion and sanctification of the United States of America.

You may also offer these intentions at daily Mass, making it a 54-day Eucharistic Rosary Novena.

Join at Any Time

If you're reading this after the novena has started, feel free to "begin at any time" and finish with us.

"...It is about the ideals our nation was founded upon:Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.You cant do much better than the First Amendment to the Constitution. The founding fathers got it right. ....We are fighting to correct that wrong, in order to make sure that religious freedom continues for the generations to come after us."-His Eminence Timothy Cardinal DolanArchbishop of New York

If we wish America to be blessed again by Almighty God,

let us give The Immaculate Conception a chance to perform a first class miracle through her son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.

The holiness and the favors already granted should impregnate our supplications with unquenchable confidence.

Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron

St. John of the Cross

Dark Night of the Soul (2.2:3)...

"...the devil causes many to believe in vain visionsand false prophecies; and strives to make them presumethat God and the saints are speaking with them; and they often trust their own fancy. And the devil is also accustomed, in this state, to fill them with presumption and pride, so that they become attracted by vanity and arrogance, and allow themselves to be seen engaging in outward acts which appear holy, such as raptures and other manifestations. Thus they become bold with God, and lose holy fear, which is the key and the custodian of all the virtues; and in some of these souls so many are the falsehoods and deceits which tend to multiply, and so inveterate do they grow, that it is very doubtful if such souls will return to the pure road of virtue and true spirituality."